Page 111 of Savage Torment

“I know, Little Witch. We’re sorry, it’s just… there are so many unknowns at play,” he states as we head down the sidewalk, passing house after house.

When we arrived in the middle of a field a few minutes ago, Wylder quickly explained that we were approaching a suburb. Somewhere normal humans with everyday lives go about theirday, or so he says. Honestly, I’ve never felt more out of place in my whole life.

Perfectly cut lawns match each house, which are painted to perfection. Some are pale blue, others yellow, but they complement each other in some strange way.

When we reach the last house, the address matching the paper, I frown.

“What would somebody in a house like this be doing with a coin?” I ask, and Blaze shrugs.

“It's possible that if it belongs to a human, a supernatural hunter,” he offers, and I hum, eyeing the house as if it will reveal the truth for me.

“That wouldn't quite make sense, would it? Not with the remaining coins we’re searching for, supposedly owned by a witch and a vampire. At least, that’s what the original owners were,” I mutter, confused and unsure.

“There's only one way to find out,” Ben says, making his presence known, and I nod.

“What do we do? Do we just break in? Or do we let this play out a bit calmer? Or we could?—”

“Politely, Little Witch,” Wylder interjects, tilting my body to face him. “We're back in New York. I'm sure you had a great time with the girls when you were here, but you don't have the best track record, and keeping you safe is far more important than getting the coin,” he states, and Blaze grunts.

“Agreed,” he adds, and Ben smirks in amusement.

Without a word, the four of us take the short path to the front door, and as I lift my hand, ready to knock, my cell phone vibrates in my pocket, as does everybody else's.

Distracted, I pull my device out to see a message notification on my screen. Clicking on the text, I gasp with excitement at the picture of a coin with the short message underneath.

Lincoln: Got it. Update when we get back.

I sigh with relief. It was easy enough for them. It's going to be easy enough for us, too, right? I take a deep breath and knock my clenched fist against the wood before stepping back. Every second spans a lifetime as I wait with bated breath. Just when I’m sure no one is going to answer, the door swings open and I freeze.

Brown hair frames the delicate features of the girl standing before me.

Again.

“Krystal?” I breathe, my veins running icy cold at the sight of her for the second time since I last saw her dead.

She frowns at me nervously, keeping the door almost closed, her face filling in the small gap. “How do you know my name?” she asks, and I glance back over my shoulder, noting the confusion on Blaze's face too.

He steps forward, pressing his chest against my back.

“How are you alive?” he grunts, and she gulps, hand pressing against her chest.

“I’m sorry?” she whispers, and Blaze scoffs.

“Doppelgangers are about the only thing I refuse to believe exist. So how about you tell me how I saw you dead, and now you’re standing here?” His voice is firm and I whack his arm, acutely aware of the fact that he's scaring her.

“I’m so sorry about him,” I interject, plastering what I hope is a strong smile on my face. “I just… we don't mean to be rude, but really, the last time I saw you, you were dead.” I keep my voice as soft as possible, hoping to appear a lot calmer than the vampire behind me.

“Are you aware of how ridiculous that sounds?” she says with a humorless laugh, and my mouth sets in a thin line.

“Sadly,” I admit, running my tongue over my lip. I take another deep breath, trying to get a hold of the situation. “Okay, how about we get to the facts instead of overwhelming you?” I offer, and she nods. “Where were you two weeks ago?”

She frowns, exhaling as her shoulders slump. “In a coma,” she admits, and I gasp.

“Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry.”

She waves a hand, brushing me off. “No, it's okay. I woke up in the hospital alone, no family, no recollection of my life, nothing,” she adds, and my heart literally aches for her.

“I’m so sorry,” I repeat, and amusement dances in her eyes.

---